Daniel Ricciardo could be handed a Red Bull lifeline as struggling Spaniard Sergio Perez faces the axe

A fairytale return to Red Bull could be in the cards for embattled Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo, while Sergio Perez is reportedly set to leave.

Perez is reportedly at risk of losing his seat at Formula 1’s top team if he does not improve his performances.

The 34-year-old, who recently signed a two-year contract extension to stay with Red Bull until 2026, has slipped to fifth in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship after failing to finish on the podium in six consecutive races.

In the last five races, Perez scored 15 points, while teammate Max Verstappen had 101.

“Sergio has clearly had a tough time,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports on Friday.

‘His first five races were very competitive. The last five were nowhere, and we want to see the Sergio of the first five again.

‘He knows that, he’s aware of that, he’s worked hard on the simulation this week, worked hard to understand where it wasn’t working for him.

“But what we’ve seen consistently in him is that resilience to bounce back. We hope to see that very soon.”

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is on the outside and the Spaniard could be dropped for Ricciardo’s next season

With concerns mounting over Perez’s performance, Auto Motor und Sport reports that the Mexican driver could lose his seat if he doesn’t improve, with Ricciardo the leading candidate to replace him.

When asked by the German newspaper whether Perez was at risk of being replaced, Red Bull Racing chief advisor Helmut Marko replied: “We will know more about it during the summer break.”

According to Planet F1, both Perez and Ricciardo have performance clauses in their contracts that allow for a seat swap if necessary.

When asked if Red Bull had offered Perez a contract extension too early, Horner replied: ‘That’s an incredibly difficult question.’

‘It made perfect sense to sign Checo at the time, but this is a sector where there is a lot of pressure to perform.

“We thought the contract would help. I think it’s something Checo works very hard on, and he knows this is a sport you can’t hide from.

‘Certainly with Max Verstappen as a teammate.

“He knows he is being compared to the very best and we need him to support Max. Because now there are two McLarens, two Ferraris, two Mercedes and we urgently need two Red Bulls.”

Meanwhile, Ricciardo has been linked with a possible move to Williams amid ongoing speculation over his future.

Williams has struggled with its on-track performance for almost a decade and has not won a race since the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.

However, since its sale to Dorilton Capital in 2020, the team has made progress.

Ricciardo enjoyed his most successful years at Red Bull, seen here celebrating in Monaco

Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen’s position has been secured at Red Bull, but Red Bull team boss Christian Horner cannot guarantee Sergio Perez a spot after this season

Williams have signed Alex Albon to a multi-year contract that will run until at least the end of 2026. However, his team-mate Logan Sargeant is expected to sit out of the race at the end of the year.

Williams team boss James Vowles has expressed interest in signing Carlos Sainz, who will lose his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton next season, but has been frustrated by Sainz’s reluctance to sign a contract.

Speaking to F1TV, respected Formula 1 journalist Will Buxton said this situation has opened a door for Ricciardo: ‘His whole future [is] “I’m on the line now.”

Ricciardo, who drove for Red Bull from 2014 to 2018, has had a mixed start to his 2024 season, currently sitting 13th in the standings with 11 points.

However, he has shown signs of improvement recently, with points finishes in Canada and Austria.

Perez, who completed his second free practice session at Silverstone on Friday, will get another chance to show his worth this weekend at the British Grand Prix, scheduled to start at midnight (AEST) on Sunday.

read more Daniel Ricciardo drops major hint he will return to Formula 1 next year after being branded ‘sad and lost’ at the Australian Grand Prix >